The present invention relates to a device for providing wall ducts for conduits, tubing or electric cables—described in the following with the collective term of wiring—for motor vehicles in which each conduit, tube or electric cable in an area of a wall duct contains a coupler, in which the coupler includes two coupler halves, and in which first coupler halves, respectively, are jointly held in the device for providing wall ducts.
From German publication DE 32 26 475 A1 we already know of a sealing wall passage for conduits, tubing, and electric cables for motor vehicles where cable couplers are provided in the wiring. A first coupler half of these cable couplers can be fastened in a cover plate so as not to rotate and seal the configuration. The cover plate is equipped for this purpose with corresponding through holes, in which the first coupler halves or blind plugs are held in a snap-fit fashion. In this way, even a bunch of wires can be guided through a wall in the body of the vehicle in a sealed manner. Additionally, assembly of the lines is simplified because they can be pre-assembled, connected, and checked.
Proceeding from this state of the art, it is one object of the present invention to create a device for providing wall ducts for conduits, tubing, or electric cables which is further simplified with regard to assembly.
This object is accomplished pursuant to the invention by holding the first coupler halves of the cable couplers, respectively, together as at least one group with a bracket to combine them into at least two first coupler halves and to keep the coupler halves bundled this way into plugs, which are arranged in orifices of a wall. By combining the first coupler halves with the help of the bracket, a module that is supposed to be installed in the vehicle, including its wiring, can be pre-assembled, checked, and prepared for assembly outside the vehicle. By grouping the coupler halves, these tasks, as well as subsequent assembly of the coupler halves in the wall orifices, are facilitated. Assembly of the coupler halves in the wall orifices is then particularly easy when no visual contact of the wall orifices is possible during assembly of the wiring. Due to the fact that each coupler half has its own orifice in the wall of the vehicle body, this orifice is generally easy to install as a circular opening, seals well and is easy to adjust to different vehicle types with varying numbers of wires.
Further developments of the invention are described in the dependent claims. A process of conduit, tubing, or electric cable assembly is also disclosed.
It is suggested, for example, to make the plugs of elastic rubber material and to combine the plugs into groups. By using elastic rubber material, the coupler halves are beneficially insulated against the wall from a vibration point of view so that the wiring is decoupled from the vibrations of the body of the vehicle and guided through the wall. Pressure fluctuations and other fluctuations in the wiring thus no longer induce vibration in the wall, which would be clearly audible in the interior of the vehicle. By combining the plugs into groups, production and assembly of the plugs is simplified because all plugs that are required for the wall duct can be combined into one part. At the same time, however, the individual seal of each coupler half is guaranteed by the fact that a separate plug is provided in each wall orifice. When, as is furthermore suggested, the plugs are equipped with a step, which acts together in a snap-fit fashion with a protrusion provided on the first coupler half, then, apart from the plug, no additional means are required to route the first coupler halves in the wall orifice safely and sealed.
Finally, it is suggested to provide a retainer ring for connecting the first coupler halves with the bracket, with the ring inserted in a groove that is incorporated on the exterior of the first coupler half. Corresponding to this first groove, a second groove, respectively, is incorporated in the orifices, which are provided in the bracket for holding the first coupler half. When the first coupler half is inserted into the orifice, the retainer ring is initially compressed. When the first coupler half has reached its final position, the retainer ring can expand again and engage in the second groove. Due to the fact that the retainer ring rests between the first groove and the second groove, the first coupler half is connected with the bracket.
Particularly when the two coupler halves of the cable coupler are supposed to be connected with each other through screws, it is necessary to fasten to the first coupler halves in the bracket to prevent them from rotating. For this purpose, the first coupler halves, for example, are equipped with a hexagon or flattened areas, which then find support on corresponding resting surfaces of the mounting device.
The invention is explained in more detail in the following based on the design shown in the drawing figures.